Pao de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread)

Ingredients

1/2 kilo sweet manioc starch (polvilho doce)
1/2 kilo sour manioc starch (polvilho azedo)
1/2 liter (just over 2 cups) milk, plus a bit more if needed
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp kosher salt
5 eggs
1/2 kilo coarsely grated cheese (I like a mix –- include cheddar, parmesan, but experiment)

Directions

If you’re going to bake right away, preheat your oven to 375°F.

Put both types of polvilho in a very large mixing bowl. In a small sauce pan, bring 1/2 liter of milk, butter and salt to a boil.

Pour the hot milk mixture over the polvilho, and let it cool just enough so you can work the milk into the starch with your fingers. Add the eggs and knead well, adding milk bit by bit until you have a dough that is not too stiff but will hold its shape. Add the cheese and mix in well without kneading.

Either oil your hands or dip them in cool water, then roll the dough into balls -- about the size of a hard-boiled egg yolk for the small breads, and the size of a whole walnut for the medium.

Arrange the balls a few inches apart on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat (silicone liner) or parchment paper, or on a baking stone, and place in a 375°F oven. Once the breads rise, reduce the heat to 325°F, so they can dry out a bit and brown up -– about 20 minutes total.

Note: To freeze, place the uncooked breads on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Put the cookie sheet in the freezer; when the breads are firm, remove from the sheet and store them in ziploc bags. To bake the frozen breads (do not defrost), follow the process above, but expect them to take longer, 30-40 minutes total.

Source: The Perfect Pantry